Benefits Aren't Always Enough
by MadameChambers
Summary: Clare wants her and Jake to be more. Does he feel the same? One-shot.


**Disclaimer: I do not own any characters or plots from Degrassi; however, I do wish that I owned Mr. Tuxedo Pants! **

**AN: Hello, this is my 2****nd**** Fanfic. Let's just say that the first one wasn't very well perceived. I would just like to say thanks for reading my story, and I hope that you like it. Feel free to leave me a good and/or bad review. Enjoy! :) **

"Clare, you can't do this to yourself anymore." Alli Bhandari, Clare's best friend, suddenly blurted out.

"What are you talking about, Al?" Clare stared at Alli in mock confusion. Of course she knew what the other girl was referring to. Ever since she had started this whole "Having Fun" fiasco with Jake Martin, Alli had been pestering her about it. Things like, "You're just kidding yourself." Or "Do you really want to be a 'Friend with Benefits' to him?" Clare knew that she was not a floozy like Alli had thought. She and Jake really cared for each other, didn't they?

"Oh come on, Clare! You're my best friend and I don't want you to get hurt over some fling with a childhood friend. I care about you, Clare. Please, just talk to Jake and tell him how you really feel. If you don't like how it turns out, I'll be here to support you." Alli was coming from a good place, Clare thought to herself. Clare honestly couldn't understand why she was shaking at the thought of revealing her true feelings to Jake. They had been making out for about two weeks now and she couldn't bear the thought of being away from his warm embrace. 'If you're so confident that Jake has actual feelings for you,' Clare thought, 'then why won't you tell him about yours?' Alli was right after all. 'I don't want to just mindlessly make out with someone, do I?'

"I suppose it couldn't hurt…that much." Clare announced with a sigh. Alli squealed with delight.

"Oh, thank you, Clare! I just knew that you would make the right choice!" Alli reached over and locked her in a giant bear hug. 'Yeah,' Clare couldn't help but think, 'the right choice.'

** Later that night….**

"Ding dong!" The doorbell sang, signaling Jake's arrival at Clare's house. Her mother was on another date with one of her sleazy new men. The thought of her mother's sexual escapades made Clare shudder in horror. How could her mother, the one that always said that sex before marriage was a sin, and to always remain pure and good until-… "Ding dong!" Clare suddenly remembered that Jake was at her door. She almost didn't want to answer it thinking of the daunting task ahead of her. 'Well, I guess it's time.' Clare contemplated as she raced down the stairs to let Jake in.

Leaning up against the door frame, Jake looked like a model for a high-end fashion store. Even in jeans and a button-up flannel shirt, this boy could look like Adonis! Clare eyed Jake up and down. She felt her cheeks get hot as she thought things about him that she never had before. Jake cleared his throat, making Clare jump.

"Wow," Jake mused, "do I look so amazing that even the virginal Miss Clare Edwards is having impure thoughts about me?"

Clare's eyes widened in shock as she stuttered, "N-n-no!" How could he read her mind like that? Was she really that predictable?

"Liar." Jake chuckled as he invited himself in. As they were ascending the stairs, Clare remembered her goal for tonight. Once they reached Clare's bedroom, she needed every ounce of strength that she had to remember her objective. 'Tell Jake, don't chicken out.' It was simple, really. Well, it was simple until Jake broke the space between them.

With two steps, Jake's soft, warm lips were on Clare's. He barely touched her lips, teasing her. Jake deepened the kiss and licked her bottom lip, asking to explore her mouth as he had many times before. Clare gladly gave it, treasuring each moment of ecstasy. Jake made sure to come into contact with every part of her mouth. She let out a soft moan as Jake's tongue massaged hers. He pulled away and went to work on her neck, nibbling the soft skin just below her ear. Jake sucked on the sensitive flesh, making Clare whimper in enjoyment.

"I love it when you do that." Jake said against her neck, knowing it would make her whimper again. As Jake kissed and nibbled at her neck, Clare was in the middle of an internal conflict. If she told him her real feelings and Jake rejected her, she might not get to do this ever again, and get her heart broken. There was a fifty percent chance that Clare might lose her childhood friend. Meanwhile, Jake was trailing kisses up her throat back to her lips. Their tongues danced in a fight for dominance, which Jake easily won, seeing as Clare had other things on her mind. Jake started sucking on her bottom lip, trying to get her to cheer up. Even he could tell that something was wrong with her tonight. 'Well,' Clare thought to herself, 'it's now or never.'

"Jake, I need to talk to you about something." Clare said quite shakily.

"What's wrong?" Jake asked, seeming to show genuine concern.

"This is really hard to say, but I think I want more than just make out sessions. I want something tangible, something real. I can't stand knowing that you can go and just "have fun" with any other girl. I want to be with you, Jake. If you don't want to, I guess we just won't see each other anymore." Clare could tell that she was in danger of waterworks when her voice cracked on the last few words. She looked down, feeling as if she would be losing a friend tonight.

"Clare," Jake pulled her chin up to look into her eyes, "I want to be with you, too. Always have, always will." Clare smiled into the kiss as Jake gently pressed his lips into hers.


End file.
